We have come a long way from having construction sites that are started without any permit or safety rules. However, it was not always the case. Every time an accident happened in a construction site, the construction site safety manual was updated. This has led to higher levels of awareness and safety procedures in construction sites. Nevertheless, no construction site is one hundred percent safe, and accidents still happen, though less frequently than before. Those who have been victims of construction site accidents can get the help of a professional attorney to handle their compensation case.
A Lawyer To Help You Get Compensation Due To A Construction Site Accident
Fortunately, today, there are workers compensation programs to help employees who have been injured in a construction site. However, often these programs are not adequate, as they only take care of immediate needs. Rehabilitation can take weeks, months, even years. When an injured worker has to pay out of pocket for a long period of rehabilitation, the costs can add up. Thus, the most prudent thing to do is to contact legal experts to help you receive proper compensation that can fund your full recovery efforts.
The Most Common Types of Construction Site Accidents
Many things can go wrong at a construction site since by its own nature, a construction site is in a constant flux. It is a chaotic place with many people doing many things at the same time. Here are some of the most common types of construction site accidents and the ways to prevent them:
1). Improper scaffolding
Weak scaffolding connections and inappropriate staging can cause accidents, which often happen on the walkway or vertical support. The construction company must ensure proper scaffolding procedures which follow the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requirements.
2). Ground collapses
Construction work that involves a lot of digging risks can create sinkholes. To prevent sinkholes, tunnels must be reinforced by side walls with bracing. Construction workers must also wear harnesses at all times to prevent them from falling in case of any ground collapses.
3). Falling
Even a short fall can cause death. Falling becomes a risk when any construction worker climbs a roof, ladder, scaffold, and so on. While every construction worker tries to be extra careful, employing harnessing clipped to an anchor point can provide added protection as this would prevent any worker falling to his death.
4). Crane injuries
With the use of any heavy machinery, there is always the risk of accidents. Cranes’ cables can snap, and whatever is being lifted by that malfunctioning crane can cause serious damage, injury, even death. There are different procedures that can prevent and minimize crane injuries and death, such as the presence of spotters and safety officers who stay on the construction site to identify possible problems.
It is actually impossible to come up with a perfect list that would guarantee total safety of any construction site, but efforts should always be made to minimize construction site accidents.